


Blast from the Past

by 324b213



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/F, Slow Burn, im dumb and didn't plan this out before hand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-03-02 21:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18819103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/324b213/pseuds/324b213
Summary: A 13 going on 30 type Avalance AU with all your favourite legends. Ava Sharpe gets dragged to a grad party hosted by none other than the infamous Sara Lance, the one person that always manages to get under her skin. An incident at the party leads Ava to wake up the next day as the 30 year old version of herself. She attempts to retrace her steps to determine what caused this strange time anomaly to find herself crossing paths once again with miss Sara Lance and discovers multiple unexpected things along the way.





	1. i: The Party

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not all that good at writing so forgive me if this sounds kinda all over the place. It's really unedited and sort of train of thought-y but this idea popped into my head and I wanted to make it a reality (might as well write it if nobody else does) also feedback is much appreciated :)  
> I have like a general outline planned but that may change

_ May 25th, 2018 _

 

_ 7:30pm  _

 

Ava Sharpe had never been quite the type to attend parties. Very typical of the school valedictorian but she knew the path she wanted to pursue and knew the grades she needed to get, having fun didn’t seem to fit into the equation. But she’s here tonight. Nora managed to convince her that she needed to experience at least one night of fun in all her time in high school before it’s all over. That and the fact that Nora was chasing after Ray Palmer, the kid with the second highest average of their class. She was here to support her best friend since she could remember, actually nora was one of her only friends and Ava was here to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid. Ava also knew Nora was right, about her having the whole high school experience, she just wasn’t thrilled at the idea of having to prove herself as more than just a nerd to the rest of their graduating class. 

 

She sits in the driveway of the address Nora gave her, a million thoughts swirling around in her head. Half of them driven by her insecurities and how people would react to seeing her outside of school oriented occasions. Having never been to a single party since her own 10th birthday party, she didn’t quite know what to expect. The only things she knew were from tv and movies and for some reason Ava didn’t quite believe those depictions were the most accurate. She also had no idea who would even be here at this large large house… She actually didn’t even know who was hosting this graduation party. As she gathered the courage to walk up to knock on the house, she really regretted the decision to meet up with Nora at the party rather than just going with her. The door swings open to reveal a perplexed Sara Lance.

 

“Holy shit. The valedictorian herself, miss Ava Sharpe, at MY party? What an honour. Aren’t you supposed to be at home studying for finals?” Sara poked

 

“I’m actually just here for Nora.” Ava retaliated

 

“Well good for you. Party doesn’t actually start for another like half hour but I guess come on in and make yourself comfortable”

 

“She told me 8:00”

 

“I don’t know about you but my clock still says 7:45, plus people never show up on time for stuff like this”

 

Ava’s face admittedly starts turning red, not out of embarrassment, but anger. Sara somehow always finds a way to get at her. Her repor with the infamous Sara Lance hasn’t been great either, ever since their first day of high school, she’s managed to get under Ava’s skin. They had an incessant amount of classes together since both of them took all their classes as AP, Ava didn’t understand how Sara managed to stick to the AP stream after having seen her work ethic in class plus having worked on multiple assigned projects together, she was always pulling Sara’s weight. On top of all that, Sara was the one to spread all sorts of rumors about Ava that she did not appreciate. One of which involved something about her and a boy named Nate hooking up after a football game, another about how Ava was adopted and that’s why she was such a hardass who only focused on school. Sara doesn’t know, of course, that Ava had discovered where these rumors originated from.

 

“Since you’re so early, wanna help me finish setting up? Figured you’d be into the whole organizational stuff”

 

Ava knew she was doing it again, pushing her buttons, luring her into some sort of trap. That’s what Sara Lance does. But what else was she going to do for the next half hour.

 

“Yeah sure”

 

It didn’t take long for them to bring everything out onto a table, as they were finishing up Sara holds out a solo cup and offers a drink to Ava. Ava had never drank before, not that she had anything against underage drinking as long as it was responsible, and it wasn’t like she didn’t have other means of getting home other than driving. Sara immediately saw the hesitance in Ava and quickly added  “It’s just juice, I wasn’t sure if you drank or not since I’ve never seen you at any party, or even outside of school.”

 

It was those words, coming out of Sara Lance’s mouth that made Ava want to prove her wrong

 

“I don’t know why we would see each other outside of school, I don’t see us having anything in common” and as soon as the words left Ava’s mouth, she kind of regretted how snarky she had sounded adding a “Also, I do drink.”

 

“Good.” Sara turns from the fridge and pours a hefty amount of vodka into her own cup followed by Ava’s “cheers then” she said with what was almost definitely a wink. The drink wasn’t half bad. Just then there was a knock at the door and Sara left her alone in the kitchen. Ava couldn’t wait for any other familiar face to show up so she could stop being forced to interact with Sara.

 

“Palmer! How’s it going? You’ll never believe who’s here right now” She overhears Sara from the kitchen

 

“Ava! Hey! Wow Sara, looks like your party already has the highest round up of IQ points of the year already between the three of us.”

 

“The three of us?” Ava wasn’t sure what Ray was talking about. Ray and her, definitely, but she never thought that Lance even passes all of her courses, let alone, actually excelled.

 

“Yeah, thought you knew, Lance here is probably smarter than me. She just doesn’t like to show it off”

 

“Ok there Palmer, we don’t need to discuss my intelligence in front of the valedictorian here.”

 

“Come on Sara, why not? You’ve had plenty of classes together I’m sure she already knows”

 

“We’re done talking about this, Ava, you want another drink?”

 

Ava nods. She doesn’t really know how to process all of this. Why did Sara act so dumb around her in class and when they had projects together. 

 

More people start showing up as Ray and Ava discuss questions from their AP exams and Ava continues to wonder if Ray had these exact conversations with Sara already. She even wondered what Sara Lance wrote in her AP Lit essays and how she approached the written physics portion, a thought Ava never thought would have occurred to her. 

 

_ 8:45pm _

 

Ava sat alone in the kitchen anxiously waiting for her friend to arrive. She didn’t know very many people at this party as most of them were Lance’s friends and socializing was not one of Ava Sharpe’s many strengths. The people in attendance sure seem to recognize her though, she had made a name for herself as valedictorian, that and she was sure Sara gossiped to them about her. 

 

It was near 9pm when Ava felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to reveal one Nora Dahrk.

 

“Hey Ava, I’m sorry, something came up with my dad and I couldn’t get a ride here. Public transit is a bitch.”

 

“I’ve been at this party trying to not lose my mind for the last hour, you know I’m not good in social situations by myself”

 

“Well I guess I owe you a drink then”

 

Ava jokingly rolled her eyes as she raised her third drink of the night and toasted to being done with AP exams, done with her valedictorian speech, done with the whole university application process, and only had finals left to look forward to.

 

“So what’s the plan with you and Ray tonight”

 

Ava gets shushed by a slightly panicked Nora.

 

“Geez Sharpe, could you say that any louder? Anyways, Sara’s parties always have a group of them that go off to play drinking games, in her basement; kings cup, truth or dare, never have I ever, etc. It’s kinda lowkey and its apparently just Lance’s close friends that know about it -”

 

“How do you know about it?”

 

“Ray invited me, but that’s besides the point. We’re gonna join them and the plan is to start making a move then and when the party dies down and gets lowkey later in the night, It’ll just be me and Ray - “

 

“Ray and I”

 

“Ray and you what?”

 

“No, grammatically, it’s Ray and I”

 

“Ohhh my god why are you like this”

 

Ava shrugs and laughs

 

“Anyways, you, Ava Sharpe, are gonna be my wingwoman tonight”

 

Ava rolls her eyes “you’re glad I’m such a good friend”

 

_ 10:00pm _

The rest of the night was filled with people attempting to converse with Ava while not having previously spoken a single word to her or even knowing her prior to their commencement ceremony days ago.

_ 10:00pm _

The rest of the night was filled with people attempting to converse with Ava while not having previously spoken a single word to her or even knowing her prior to their commencement ceremony days ago.

Ava was interrupted as she was in the middle of trying to explain to Mick, one of Sara’s athlete friends on the football team, how centripetal force isn’t actually a real after mick discovered he could keep a ping pong ball inside a solo cup when upside down if he spun it around the cup. 

To Ava’s surprise, it wasn’t Nora who rescued her from trying to explain physics to someone who has the scientific understanding of a twelve year old.

“Very cool party trick Rory, we’re about to start king’s cup downstairs.” 

Mick kinda makes a grunt noise as he gives Ava a side eye and heads out of her vicinity. 

“I cannot believe you were trying to explain forces to Rory who barely understands that gravity is a thing on a good day”

Sara says through her classic Sara Lance smirk

“He thought a ping pong ball spinning around a cup was some sort of black magic”

Ava couldn’t help but laugh at how absurd that was and also begrudgingly admitted that Sara Lance was probably right

“Wanna join us downstairs? Actually, this isn’t optional, I was told to drag you downstairs against your will if i must.”

“Let me guess, Nora sent you?”

“Pfft no. What gave that away?”

Ava rolls her eyes and follows Sara down the stairs

The thought of Sara Lance keeps swirling around Ava’s head. She’s hated her for so long yet never really knew what Sara was like as a person. If Sara is as smart as Ray says she is, how come any time they were in class together or worked on a project together she only saw Sara slack off and act like an asshole around her. 

Ava didn’t really know what to expect from those that Sara Lance considered her close friends

“Hey listen up suckers, we’re adding one more person to the game. Everyone, you already know our class valedictorian, Ava Sharpe.”

Half of the faces she recognized from some of her classes, the other half she just assumed were Sara’s friends from various sports teams. Everyone else’s expressions seemed to reflect their surprise both at the fact that Ava was at a party but also at the fact that Sara and Ava were far from even being friends. 

“She’s Nora’s plus one” Sara added, also noting the look of shock on some of her friend’s faces

“Alright, how about we all introduce ourselves to our guest. I’m Sara” 

She then gestures towards her left

“Zari” 

“Charlie”

“Jax”

Ava was next

“Uh I guess I already got a grand introduction from miss Lance”

“Nora”

“Ray. Palmer”

“Mick”

“Leo, but you can call me Snart”

“Great! Now that we’re done with that AA meeting, Ava you know how to play right?”

Ava wanted to just nod and go with it. Although she had never played a drinking game in her life. She decided to just be honest, who cares what Sara or her friends thought of her. 

Ava shakes her head

 

“Rules are super simple, everyone takes turns drawing a card and each card is associated with a direction. We’ll explain the rules for each card as we play, you’ll catch on pretty fast considering you’re the smartest one here. Oh and whoever gets the last king card downs the random concoction created in the middle of the table.”

Ava nods. How bad could this be?   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to write about actual AP questions but I am forbidden bc of the college board and I'm still scared they're gonna come for me even though I've been out of high school now for like a year. I was also gonna keep the party all in the same chapter but I was having fun writing the king's cup game and it was turning out to be really long
> 
> also idk how grad works for everyone else so I'm kinda writing based on the timeline of how my high school grad panned out, hope its not like weird to follow.


	2. ii:The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang plays their version of king's cup and various other games  
> The incident occurs  
> Ava is confused by Sara Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to update at least once a week till i get this done. I've got a very loose plot planned out but its totally me freeform writing so ignore my dumb inconsistencies lol
> 
> I really was ambitious trying to write the entire game out but i had a feeling it was gonna get repetitive so i skipped till the end.
> 
> As always, unedited so expect dumb mistakes

_May 25th, 2018_

 

_10:13pm_

 

“Okay, I guess I’ll start and we’ll go clockwise. Three, me, of course.”

 

Sara rolls her eyes and takes a swig of her own drink

 

“Five, guys” Zari says with a smirk

 

All the guys take a drink

 

“Nine, Rhyme… dawn”

 

“Crouton”

 

“Neutron..?”

 

“Prawn”

 

“Proton”

 

“On”

 

“Coupon”

 

“Hon Hon Hon”

 

Ava almost choked at sara’s terrible french accent

 

“Sara that doesn’t count.”

 

“What do you mean, it rhymed didn’t it? Fine whatever, you’re all just haters. Lucky I’m not a lightweight”

 

Sara had brought up something Ava hadn’t thought about, apparently she herself didn’t seem to be a lightweight either since she was on her fifth drink of the night and seemed totally fine.

 

“Okay who’s next?Jax”

 

“Queen, okay fingers up everyone. Never have I ever… gotten into a fistfight at a concert”

 

Sara, Mick and Snart all lower a finger

 

“Jax this feels very directed towards a certain three people who only got into a fight because SOMEONE didn’t show up on time and were trying to defend SOMEONE from getting beat up for cutting in line.”

 

Jax just shrugs

 

“Just saying, I’m the only one who didn’t get kicked out of that concert”

 

The three of them almost simultaneously roll their eyes

 

“Ok, Ava your turn, never had I ever”

 

“Um… Never have I ever…”

 

Ava remembers her job tonight, wingwoman

 

“Never have I ever had feelings for somebody in this room at this moment”

 

Nora, Ray, Sara and Charlie all lower a finger. Nora and Ray were too obvious but she couldn’t help but wonder who Sara and Charlie liked, maybe each other, who knows?

 

“Never have I ever kissed somebody of the same gender”

 

To Ava’s surprise, Everyone in the circle lowers a finger with the exception of Mick, herself and Nora. In the corner of her eye she notices Sara raise a single eyebrow in disbelief and smirks a little.

 

“Boring, Palmer go” Snart Remarked

 

“Never have I ever… gotten a one on an AP exam” as he stares directly at Zari

 

“ONE time Ray, that was ONE time. And in my defense reading “pilgrimage of grace” as “Pilgrims named grace” was not one of my finest moments but anybody could have made that mistake. The salem witch trials were something that we covered and odds of pilgrims being named grace then were probably not that low. That and I honestly fell asleep during the multiple choice portion because I exerted all my energy into physics C that morning. Whatever, I don’t need to defend myself and list all the reasons I don’t care about European history. Nate go.”

 

“Never have I ever thought I was dating someone for three weeks to then find out that they were actually dating one of my best friends through an Instagram story”

 

Ray puts down a finger as Sara starts giggling

 

“Listen, Guinevere never one, mentioned she was dating anyone else, and two, that she was gay.”

 

“Okay there sir Raymond, let’s move on.” Sara interrupted through her own laughter

 

“Never have I ever taken a single AP class”

 

Almost everyone lowers a finger

 

“Okay, my turn, little miss valedictorian, never have I ever gotten a National scholar title from the college board not counting this year’s courses.”

 

Ava lowers a finger but so does Sara, she expected Ray to do the same but he doesn’t.

 

“Damn guess Ava Sharpe’s got some competition.”

 

“Nah, just took all the easy AP courses in the last two years. But also I guess this means I lose, man I’m really starting to think this game’s against me.”

 

Sara takes another drink and Ava couldn’t help but stare curiously at the enigma that is the blonde sitting across from her.

 

“Ok who’s next?”

 

Ava, lost in her own thoughts, didn’t even realize that she continued to stare at Sara Lance until the blonde snapped her out of it

 

“Ava? You still with us? Come on, it’s your turn”

 

Ava reaches out as Sara hands her the card at the top of the deck.

“King”

 

“Alright, first king! You just dump part of your drink into the cup in the middle”

 

“Two, you. Okay, Ray, shall we?”

 

Ray and Nora both sip their drinks without breaking eye contact. Ava was convinced that those two were the only ones who weren’t aware that they’ve practically been eye fucking each other the entire party.

 

“King, again, wow that was quick”

 

“Four, floor”

 

Coincidentally, Ava was sitting leaning back on both hands already so the last person to get their hands on the floor ended up being Jax

 

“Shit, Ava probably should have explained those ones to you, even though you somehow didn’t lose. Four, floor meaning last person to get both hands on the floor drinks. There’s also seven heaven and last person to get both hands in the air drinks. Anyone who picks up a jack has the ability to start “thumbs” by putting their thumb on the table whenever they want in the game, last person to notice and put their thumb on the table has to drink. I think that’s about it.” Nora explained as Jax finished his drink and went back upstairs for a refill.

 

“Six, chicks, girls drink”

 

“Two, you. Come on miss Sharpe, loosen up, drink with me” Snart remarked.

 

As Ava took a drink, she had realised how non interactive she had been this whole game, observing this dynamic friend group but not really participating in much. She remembered she was also at this party to let her classmates know that she wasn’t just some uptight smart bitch.

 

“Okay, my turn again… Eight, mate. Alright…. Let’s go with, Ava. From this point onward, you drink when I drink and vise versa. Cheers, hope you can stomach your liquor because I seem to be losing at this game.”

 

Ava tosses her cup back.

 

“Looks like you need a refill, and so do I. Alright, continue on, we’ll be back.”

 

Immediately as Ava stands up she starts to feel it, she’s definitely tipsy. They pass Jax on their way up Ava following behind Sara back to the kitchen. In her best attempt to lean on the counter, Ava misses and realizes that she is indeed, a tiny bit drunk.

 

“Woahh there. You want some water?”

 

Ava takes the cup that Sara is holding out and chugs the entire cup of tap water.

 

“I’m impressed that it took you this many drinks to feel something.”

 

“Relax Lance, I’m not drunk I’m just a little buzzed.”

 

“If that’s the case, wanna do a shot with me and finish off this mickey.”

 

Sara was already pouring out the shots, plus Ava wanted the big drinker Sara Lance’s Ego to step down a notch

 

“Well by game rules, aren’t I bound to you? If you do a shot, means I gotta as well.”

 

“Touché Sharpe. Cheers then”

 

She knocked back the shot, her insides warming as the liquor ran down her throat. Honestly, not as bad a she thought it would have been according to everything she’s heard.

 

“Alright, any preferences on what you want? I have some coolers, beer, or do you want a surprise mix?”

 

“I guess I’ll just have what you’re having”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth she wished she could take them back. Sara raising her eyebrows and smirking didn’t make her situation better. She could not believe she was accidentally flirting with Sara Lance of all people. She did not like Sara Lance, she barely even tolerated Sara Lance. Plus she wasn’t into girls. Was this what drunk her does? Is this the type of person she turns into?

 

“Hello, earth to Ava?”

 

Ava snaps out of her small moment of internal panic

 

“Huh? Sorry I was just thinking…”

 

“I was just asking if you were ready to go back down.”

 

“Uh, yeah, lets go”

 

Grabbing the drink from Sara, Ava wondered if Sara realized what she was thinking about.

 

“And we’re back! What’d we miss?”

 

Sara announces as they rejoin the gang

 

“Took you guys long enough, it’s technically Ray’s turn but we’ll circle back to Ava right after” Jax calls out

 

“King. Again. I’m shuffling these cards next time"

 

Ava picks up the next card

 

“Three, me. Cheers Lance”

 

Sara was convinced that Ava Sharpe just winked at her. Unfair. That was _her_ move that Ava just used on her.

 

As the game continued, Nora and Ray continued to make the most obvious heart eyes at each other. Ava, having gotten a hand of the game by now started loosening up and the gang was really enjoying her presence as well.

 

They had gone around once more circling back to Sara before the last king was picked

 

As Sara picked up the card, she rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but chuckle because of course she’d end up with the last king.

 

“Alright Sharpe, wanna split this monstrosity with me.”

 

Ava kinda just shrugged as sara split the cup in the middle into two solo cups.

 

The team counted them and they both chugged the concoction down, Ava scrunching her face as she slams the empty cup onto the table.

 

“Damn Ava, I’m surprised you can drink as much as Lance” Charlie chimes in

 

“I feel like there’s a lot we don’t know about Sharpe. Ava what you say we play another game” Leonard suggests

Ava doesn’t say anything

 

“Let’s play a game of truth or dare.  I’ll start….” he looks around the circle and his eyes land on Zari “Z, truth or dare”

 

“Dare” She regretted it as soon as it came out of her mouth

 

“I dare you to do a body shot off of Charlie.” Leonard saying with a smirk

 

Zari and Charlie simultaneously rolled their eyes

 

Ava tries to hide a smile because she realises what Snart was doing. Which gave her an idea about how to get Ray and Nora to admit their feelings for each other

 

After they were done, Zari turns to Snart and snarkily remarks “thanks for coming, hope you enjoyed the show

 

“Alright, my turn…. Ava, let’s get to know you more, truth or dare”

 

Ava weighed her options and picked “truth”

 

She didn’t know the group well and didn’t know what to expect from their dares. Based upon the first one, she imagined they could get much much worse

 

“How bout, you tell us the most embarrassing story involving an ex”

 

“Um… I don’t really have any exes. I’ve never actually dated anyone”

 

Ava regretted it immediately, she doesn’t know these people, she could have made up any story she wanted.

 

“Well tell us any embarrassing story involving your love life.” Sara chimes in

 

“I um… when I was in the 10th grade, I tried asking out Jack, yeah football Jack, had a major crush on him. But”

 

Ava chuckles to herself

 

“Not only did I get rejected, he went off and told his whole team about me coming on to him and spread a rumor about how I was apparently ‘easy’”

 

“Wow what a jackass.” Sara said with a look in her eyes that Ava could only describe as pity

 

She couldn’t believe the nerve of Sara, how could she be so hypocritical when she spread pretty much the same rumor about her two years later. Ava didn’t actually care what people thought of her anymore at this point but man did it hurt when she was fifteen.

 

“Anyways, enough about me….”

 

Ava wanted to get back at sara for that jab, the whole Nora and Ray situation could wait for later in the game, she had all night.

 

“Sara Lance, truth or dare.”

 

“Truth”

 

“You act so cool and composed all the time but you can’t be all cool all the time, what’s the most embarrassed you’ve ever been”

 

“Ava Sharpe, did you just call me cool?”

 

Ava’s cheeks started turning red in realisation of what she had said.

 

“Well, that’s an easy one. Starling city elementary, I was peter pan in the school play, forgot my lines the moment i stepped out on stage, my mind totally went blank so I broke out into an impromptu tap dance and ran off stage crying.”

 

She couldn’t help but smile at the image of a tiny Sara Lance dressed up as peter pan and also tap dancing.

 

Before Ava could smother her mind in these thoughts of confusion, Sara continued

 

“Okay, Ray. Truth or dare”

 

“Truth”

 

“What are your honest feelings about a certain someone in this room?”

 

Ray knew exactly what she was talking about

 

“Hah, Sara I actually meant dare”

 

“Okay fine, I DARE you to tell Nora how you feel about her”

 

Both of their faces turned red as the rest of the room had their eyes on them filled with anticipation

 

“Uh… Nora… You’re super cool, and smart, and beautiful…. And uh…”

 

“Oh my got Palmer, come on, get to the point sometime tonight”

Charlie interrupted

 

“Uh… Nora, I like you and uh I -”

 

Ray was cut short by Nora’s lips meeting his

 

The entire room cheered

 

“Finally!” Sara shouts amidst the cheering

 

Ava was a little salty at how Sara turned out to be a better wingwoman than she was tonight even though she was a little distracted by her own thoughts.  


After they broke from the kiss Ray blurts out “I’m gonna go get some fresh air”

 

“You know, I think I’m gonna join Ray” Nora adds

 

Ava gives her best friend a smile as she leaves the room.

 

“Enjoy your _‘fresh air’_!” Sara adds as they leave the room

 

“Well, it was Ray’s turn to go… how about…” Jax finishes his corona “let’s spin to see who gets to go next”

 

The bottle lands on Leonard and he mischievously smiles as he picks the bottle up and points it at Ava

 

“Sharpie. Truth or dare.”

 

“Um… Dare”

 

Wrong choice.

 

“You were one of the only people who didn’t lower a finger for the ‘hadn’t kissed someone of the same gender’ question. You’re so uptight all the time, let’s loosen you up and change that.

 

“I dare you, to spin this bottle and kiss whichever woman it lands on”

 

Not that Ava was against homosexuality, no, Ava was a big ally she even was in charge of organizing events for the school’s GSA. She just never thought of herself as anything other than straight. So why was she so nervous by this dare?

 

She took the bottle from Leonard’s hand and spun it in the middle. Heart racing as the bottle began to slow down. Her stomach was in so many knots.

 

The bottle stopped. She followed the open end up to see the smug face of one (1) Sara Lance.

 

“Well well. Ava Sharpe, what an honour of being your first big GAY kiss.” Sara joked

  


Sara got up from across the table and sat down inches away from Ava. Ava, who at this point was visibly nervous, had her stomach tie up in knots. What was happening to her. She blamed it on the alcohol

 

Sara placed a hand on her face and in a hushed tone that only Ava could hear, she asked

 

“Hey, you okay with this?”

 

Ava nodded. This wasn’t like Sara Lance, she was so considerate, soft. Ava wasn’t having feelings. That’s not why she was so tensed.

 

Sara continued “I’m going to kiss you now”

 

Even with Ava’s eyes closed, she could sense that Sara had said those words with that smug smirk that could only be described as iconically Sara Lance.

 

Ava could feel the heat of Sara’s body as she inched closer to her till their lips met.

 

Her entire body seemed to relax as Sara’s lips greeted her own. Sara Lance’s lips were soft and tasted of whiskey. Ava’s hand reached up from the ground to meet Sara’s waist and returned the kiss. What was happening to her. Everything in that moment fell away to nothing and her mind was filled with one thought and one thought only,

 

_Sara Lance._

  
  


  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they kissed... What now? (here's a hint. They're not getting together anytime soon)
> 
> Sara being #bigloser at the game was based on my own experience with a game of king's cup. 
> 
> Feedback/ideas are well appreciated (come harass me on tumblr @evelynebrochiot) :)


	3. iii: The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something strange is happening....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes I really disappeared for like a month.... I got really stuck on this not gonna lie. A part of me wishes i just wrote the entire thing before I posted anything because oof the number of times I wanted to go back and change things in the first two chapters....
> 
> I had big boy writers block as to how to approach the rest of this story which is why its took me so long to write this chapter.... I also decided to change the direction of a lot of plot lines i originally planned for this and I think it'll probably flow better now storywise (but honestly who knows)
> 
> Also this isn't really edited bc I just wanted to get the chapter done and out.

_??????_

 

Awoken by a pounding in her head, Ava swore to herself she would never try to drink so much again. She doesn’t actually remember much from the night before. Everything past her being invited to the Legends game was beyond her, she couldn’t tell which parts she remembered were real and which were made from her drunken imagination. She however did know that she had to get some water and ibuprofen for her head.

 

_Note to self, don’t try to outdrink Lance_

 

_Lance…._

 

_Sara._

 

Boy did that woman confuse the hell out of her last night. She’s been a consistent pain in the ass to Ava since they met and last night… Something was different. Maybe it was in the way that Ava was seeing Lance for the first time, Ava herself being totally out of her element too. She shakes the thoughts that were starting to emerge in her head and gathers the energy to get up.

 

Ava opens her eyes and quickly realizes that she didn’t go home last night. She actually didn’t know where she was. Did she end up crashing at Sara’s? Who’s bed was she even in? All of a sudden she feels a body shift next to her.

 

_It’s probably nothing, usually people share sleeping locations when they crash at someone’s party. But this is a bedroom._

 

She turns her head and sees various articles of clothing carelessly strewn across the floor

Ava lifted the sheets and her cheeks turned full on red.

 

_Oh my god. Is this Sara’s bedroom?_

_AM I IN SARA’S BED?_

 

Her mind came to the one and only conclusion that would involve Sara Lance and she went into full on panic mode.

 

Ava winced at the thought of what she might have done last night in a drunken state. When she managed to gather her courage she turned to her side and saw a woman

 

_…Not blonde_

 

_So at least it wasn’t Sara_

 

Ava had never really thought about being with another woman, not that she was opposed to it, the idea just never crossed her mind. She hadn’t really thought about anything in the realms of dating at all actually for the last few years of high school. Partially due to her wanting to put the most into her school work and her extracurriculars. Partially due to her lack of romantic interest in any of the guys at school. Not that she hasn’t been asked out, she’s been on plenty of dates with guys, she just never really saw anything past the first date for any of them….

 

Her head was pounding. She did not have the brainpower right not to overthink the situation as she normally might have. Ava stumbled out of the bed as quietly as possible as to not awaken the other woman.

 

Having no idea where her clothes from last night went so she grabbed the closest thing she could find to cover herself. She figured if this was still Lance’s home, she’ll just get the clothes back to her later. But as soon as she exited the hallway she was hit with another hard realization… this was not Sara’s home. She had no idea where she was.

 

She scurried around the hallway until she found the nearest bathroom.

 

What happened last night? If she was at some stranger’s place, does that mean that she left Nora?

 

_Nora! Holy shit!_

 

She then remembered that Nora and Ray had actually gotten together last night and she doesn't remember seeing her after they were making out in the basement.

 

She kind of chuckles to herself. Everyone at the party could see where those two were gonna end up by the end of the night, you’d have to be blind not to see the way they looked at each other.

 

She wondered if she had gotten any texts from Nora… her phone was probably dead but even if it wasn’t, she had no idea where she placed it.

 

She splashes some cold water on her face repeatedly telling herself to get it together when she looks up at the mirror and her jaw drops open and she stumbles backwards, knocking over stuff on the counter. The woman staring back at her in the mirror is not the same woman who was incredibly drunk at a Lance party last night, she was at least 15 years older. Beyond confused, her first instinct was to touch her own face and make sure what she was seeing in the mirror was real.

 

_What the hell is happening?_

 

Not really knowing what to do next, she stumbles out of the bathroom and tries to gauge her surroundings. She woke up in a stranger’s home, in a stranger’s _bed._ Not to mention that she aged like 15 years overnight??

 

“Good morning”

 

She hears from around the corner. Great, now as she’s panicking about her possible missing memory, she also has to deal with the stranger who she woke up next to. Who is now fully dressed and holding a cup of coffee.

 

_Thank God she got dressed, one less thing for me to panic about._

 

“Ava, you ok?”

 

Gathering her thoughts “Um… yeah”

 

“You drank a lot last night at the party, I’m surprised you’re not more hungover”

 

The woman grabs a cup from the cupboard with a familiarity that suggests to Ava that this place is the stranger’s apartment.

 

“here”

 

Ava grabs the water the woman is holding out towards her, face growing confused at the thought of the party she remembers attending the night prior

 

Recognizing the look on Ava’s face the woman continues

 

“...you know… the company holiday party?”

 

Ah, not the party she had her entire mind wrapped around and been panicking about since she had awoken.

 

“...right. Last night… did we…?”

 

The woman chuckles

 

“Yes Ava, we did. It’s cool, it doesn’t have to mean anything, I know you’re trying to get over your ex, I’m happy to just be your rebound”

 

“Um, yeah ok. I… uh, honestly don’t remember much of the events of last night”

 

“Well, that’s a shame because you were great”

 

“I also...  don’t think I’m ready to jump into anything”

_Especially since im just now realizing that I guess I’m gay in my… future?_

 

The woman gives her a reassuring smile, she turns to look at the clock on the stovetop

 

“Well, as much fun as last night was, I think I better head off to work. You should get going too, get to that meeting or whatever you were stressing so much about when you first got to the party. See you later Ava”

The woman shoots Ava a warm smile and adds

 

“Oh, hope you don’t mind that I borrowed one of your Bureau outfits. I didn’t exactly plan to not go home after the party last night. Thank god we’re at least close to the same size.”

 

_Oh._

 

So this is _her_ apartment. Ava is the owner of that bed in which she awoke this morning…

 

“Oh yeah, sure. Guess I’ll see you at work then.”

 

Where exactly they both worked, she had no idea. All she knew is that wherever she worked, requires a suit as a uniform, and that had a holiday work party of a semi formal to formal nature.

 

Now that she knew this was supposedly her place, maybe the things in her apartment will give her more pieces of the puzzle. She couldn’t dwell on how she got here, she figured she might as well try to live her new life that she just got thrown into. That’s if she could figure out who she even was now.

 

The apartment was void of personality. Typical Ava, she should have known she would grow up to have a minimalistic apartment.

 

_No framed photos…_

 

_The decor looked like it was plucked out of a showhome… generic… nice looking, but generic_

 

She rustled through drawers for any clues as to who she was. Good thing future her was just as organized as teenage her. Everything had its own spot, mail, sorted but nothing too interesting, bills for various things.

 

Having gone through the majority of her kitchen and living room, she heads back to the bedroom. Closet, mostly multiples of the same outfit, she presumed for her job. A few _very_  nice pieces of formal wear. In the dresser, some t-shirts and sweaters, one of which with the Stanford logo… she assumed that was the college she ended up choosing.

 

No matter where she looked, there didn’t seem to be much of, if any, mementos from home, any sort of memorabilia. Nothing of her parents, nothing from high school, it was like her entire past had been erased by this version of her.

 

_Great. Good job me, way to make it harder for me to connect to this version of me._

 

Maybe she left all of that stuff at home… makes sense, why would adult her carry around stuff that probably has no meaning to her now. Still, there was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that caused concern in her regarding the apartment void all signs from her past…

 

She continues going through the drawers and shelves in her bedroom; paperwork on top of paperwork, some books, mostly text of non fiction, a couple of novels, everything, of course, in pristine condition. Amongst the books, a (presumably her) masters dissertation; _“Effects of Vigilante Actions in Relation to Crime Rates”._ Curious, she opens the cover as she gets interrupted by a phone ringing. Her phone. Following the noise, Ava scrambles around the room looking for her phone, she eventually finds it in the pocket of a jacket tossed aside, seemingly forgotten about amidst the events of the previous night. When she finally gets to her phone, it had stopped ringing and gone to voicemail. She unlocks it seeing a slew of notifications from various people, some she recognized the names of, some she didn’t…

 

_Nora Darhk_

_1:27am_

_I hope you’re making good life choices right now, I saw you leave the party with Alex like 10 minutes ago_

 

_5:45am_

_Hope u had *fun* last night ;)_

_You asked me to make sure you’re prepped for the meeting today so… this is me, doing that._

 

_6:00am_

_Hellooooooo?_

_Pls tell me you’re awake_

 

_7:59am_

_AVA SHARPE_

_WHY AM I GETTING TEXTS FROM UR ASSISTANT THAT U HAVEN’T SHOWN UP TO WORK 5MIN B4 UR MEETING_

_8:10am_

_(missed call)_

  
  
  


_Gary Green_

_7:30am_

_Hello Agent Sharpe, I know you gave me this contact for emergencies only but I’m just checking in to make sure you’re okay. It’s not like you to not show up for work. Please give me an update at your earliest convenience._

  
  
  
  


_Nate Heywood_

_6:30am_

_Good Luck on ur meeting today!_

 

_7:40am_

_Yo what the hek Y arent u at work_

  
  
  
  


_Ray Palmer_

_8:12am_

_Hey Ava, hope you’re doing okay, Nora and I managed to get the meeting postponed till later today. She’s on her way to check up on you just letting you know._

 

Ava opens the voicemail that Nora left

 

“Ava Sharpe! I’m coming over right now and when I get there you better be dead or have an equally good excuse as to why I had to cover your ass in front of the boss”

 

Just then an aggressive and constant knocking started at her door and Ava jumped. That must be Nora.

 

“I’m coming! Holy shit Nora stop knocking I heard the first 50 knocks!” Ava shouts as she runs towards the door

 

She swings open the door to reveal a Nora Darhk not as she remembers from last night but one who was older, more mature, her intuitions were definitely right. Nora continues to stare at her with her classic deer in the headlights eyes and a face that screams “What the fuck”. At least her Nora-isms haven’t changed after all these years. Being the first sense of familiarity with anything Ava has experienced all morning, she couldn’t help but pull her into a hug.

 

“Nora you have no idea how glad I am to see you. I have no idea what is happening and I’ve been freaking out all morning.”

 

Pulling away from Ava’s grasp

 

“What do you mean, you are literally THE expert on this case, plus you’ve been prepping for this meeting for over 2 weeks now-”

 

“No, Nora, I don’t mean that. Um, I don’t know how to say this while still sounding sane but just last night I was in high school. Nora, YOU were still in high school. We um, were at a party and then all of a sudden I wake up the next morning having NO idea where I was in THIS” she says as she frantically gestures towards her entire body

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“I honestly don’t even know. I don’t even remember going to bed that night and now I’m here, no idea who I even am.”

 

“Ava slow down”

 

“The last thing I remember was going to a grad party that YOU dragged me to. In 2018.”

 

“Are you saying you… what, time traveled?”

 

“I don’t even know what to call it. Either that or I have some sort of extremely selective amnesia.”

 

Ava slumps down on a couch, her couch, her head collapsed in her hands.

 

“You really don’t remember anything since 2018?”

 

“It literally feels like no time has passed, like i skipped an entire chunk of my life”

 

All of a sudden Nora’s face lit up with a realisation

 

“Oh my god Ava! This is like that movie! That one we used to watch as kids where the little girl falls asleep and wakes up as her 30 year old self!”

 

“13 going on 30?”

 

“Yeah! That!”

 

“Okay…. And?”

 

“AND, in the end of that movie it’s because of something at her birthday that triggers the time jump, I’ll bet you something at the party we went to triggered this to happen.”

“Nora, we’re talking about some dumb rom com. I’m not going to let that dictate-”

 

“Listen to me dumbass, in the end of that movie, she ended up getting back because she realises things that she wish she could change in her future. Maybe this is the universe telling you something. But regardless, it wouldn’t hurt to retrace your steps. What’s the last thing you remember from that party”

 

“Um, we were at Lance’s grad party. I drank a lot. The last thing I remember is playing drinking games with Lance’s friends in her basement. You and Ray had gone off to do whatever…”

 

She kinda shrugs and decides not to tell Nora about her kiss with Sara and whatever that may or may not have meant

 

“That’s about it. Then I woke up in this apartment. With a strange woman naked in bed with me” She suddenly remembered the events earlier that morning and her face turned red.

 

“Nora, am I gay?”

 

With those words, Nora Darhk burst out laughing.

 

“Okay well I guess that answers that. I guess since that basement is the last thing I remember maybe I should try contacting the people in that basement.”

 

With that thought, Ava goes to her contacts on her phone and sees a list so short that all the names fit on one page of the screen.

 

“Nora, why do I only have like 10 contacts ...?”

 

“Uh yeah that. You kind of left behind your old life when you joined the bureau I assume. You don’t really like opening up to new people plus you don’t really have a chance to since you literally don’t do much outside of work.”

 

Ava eyes through the short list and passes her phone to Nora

 

“Okay so who’s who on this list.”

 

“Well you still know me and Ray. Gary is your assistant. Bennet and Hunter are both your bosses. Nate is your best friend from college, he might actually know more about your missing years than me. Everyone else is from work, I’m assuming you met Alex this morning, you guys work in the same department.”

 

She hands the phone back to Ava

 

“What about my parents?”

 

“You don’t really talk to your parents anymore”

 

“Why?”

 

Ignoring her question “I’m not sure how you’re going to find anyone from that night or if any of them are even going to want to talk to you. From what I could remember you and Lance had a pretty bad falling out a few weeks after that party. I almost thought you guys were going to be friends before the whole incident.”

 

“Me and Lance. Friends?”

 

“Yeah, none of us could believe it either. But you seemed happy. But then something happened between you two and you guys completely stopped talking. And before you ask, no, I have no idea what happened. Neither of you would tell anyone so if you really wanna know, you’re gonna have to find her and ask her yourself.”

 

“What about the others”

 

“You didn’t really get that close with any of them, Ray might still have some connections with that group. I honestly have no idea though because it’s been so many years.”

 

“So after high school, I went to I’m assuming Stanford?”

 

“Yep. That’s where you met Nate. You guys were roommates freshman year and became really close based on what I heard from you. I mean, that and the fact that you guys are still very close now. We kind of lost touch for a little while just before you graduated but then reconnected after they recruited me at the bureau.”

 

“Where did you end up going for school?”

 

“I took two years off and then joined the Academy after we graduated. Did some police work for a few years until the bureau recruited me.”

 

Nora continues to fill in Ava on the last 15 years of her life. Ava notices how there was a lot of details Nora wasn’t telling her. Maybe she just kept to herself all these years and didn’t really let people in, her best friend included. Or maybe Nora was keeping things from Ava to protect her from the experiences future Ava had gone through.

 

“Speaking of work, I should probably get you caught up on the case so you can present our proposal to the boss in the afternoon… Wow I can’t believe I have to teach the expert.”

 

Nora Holds up a finger, runs into Ava’s room and comes back moments later with a stack of papers and folders

 

“Alright Sharpe, buckle up, let me reintroduce you to Operation Coal Mine”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm I wonder what the title of their operation means
> 
> 13 going on 30 exists in this universe, I've decided that.
> 
> A lot of the information Ava's getting about her past is gonna be vague for now. You'll learn as much as she does I guess.
> 
> What do you think Nora's keeping from Ava?
> 
> What happened between Ava and Sara?
> 
>  
> 
> I wrote the majority of this at work on sticky notes and plotted out bits of future chapters so hopefully the next few chapters won't be as long of a wait
> 
>  
> 
> I have this thing where I keep wanting to go back and add things/change things but I guess problem solving is part of it all...


End file.
